Racial Equity Programme
The training and resources listed below are available to Sheffield settings as part of this programme, which was funded in part by Sheffield City Council as part of the Education Strategy between 2021 and 2023.
More information about the programme can be found below, including training and resources, options for whole-school climate programmes and links to key partners. The programme for 2023/24 will be available shortly.
For any queries, please contact us at enquiries@learnsheffield.co.uk.
Windrush Poetry Competition 2025
More information coming soon
Racial Equity Programme 2023-24
Black History Month 2023
The Sheffield African Heritage Culture Forum supports local educators and learning institutions that constantly strive to empower, educate and inspire our diverse communities. They have curated the learning resources pack below to support colleagues and support Black History Month in 2023.
This pack is available free of charge and can be used all year round. The pack contents have been sourced from publicly available sources and are available free of charge for general (non-commercial) use in relation to supporting and raising EDI/cultural awareness, teaching, learning and education.
Black History Learning Resources Pack (2023 edition)
Racial Equity Programme 2022-23
Colleagues may be interested in two sessions within the Addressing Systemic Issues strand of the Learn Sheffield Autumn Festival below:
Tuesday 18 October 13:30 - 15:00 |
Racial Equity and Education
(Including the launch of a staff training tool)
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The recent Race and Equality Commission for Sheffield found that racism is an inherent problem across all of Sheffield's sectors. Join us for the launch of a new training resource and webinar exploring how educational institutions can support racial equity with Katie Bayley.
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Katie Bayley |
Book Soon
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Friday 21 October 14:30 - 16:00 |
Systemic Issues: What is the role of education?
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Systemic issues are problems or flaws that are inherent in overall systems, and can't be reduced to isolated issues. They can include issues such as the climate crisis and poverty and inequality. Join us for a webinar on how we should approach thinking about systemic issues in education and how they might be affecting students.
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Indy Johar
& Cathy Anwar |
Book Soon
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More information about this programme will be added later in the autumn term.
Anti-Racist Educator Programme – Pran Patel
The programme below will provide an important programme of sessions as part of the ‘Developing a culture of equality’ strand in the Learn Sheffield Autumn Online Festival as well as a key pillar in our racial equity programme for 2021/22.
Session 1: Introduction to Antiracism and Subconscious Bias |
Course Information
Learn what a safe space means in a school for you as program participant; Explore anti-racism as a construct that encompasses every aspect of school & society. Delve into the meaning of unconscious bias and how it affects our own lives and society; Reflect on what this means for your school context and plan next steps.
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5 October 2021 4.00-5.00/5.30pm |
Book Soon |
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Session 2: Subconscious Bias and the Impact on Assessment |
Course Information
Understand how under assessment can manifest itself; Learn how systems of assessment can change; the benefit of auditing and what can be done tomorrow.
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19 October 2021 4.00-5.00/5.30pm |
Book Soon |
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Session 3: Anti-Racism and Bias and Behaviour |
Course Information
Examine how policies, approaches and the management of behaviour are affected by unconscious bias and the role of philosophy and psychology in interpretation; Gain an understanding of how an audit can begin critique within your school and enable improved approaches and policies.
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2 November 2021 4.00-5.00/5.30pm |
Book Soon |
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Session 4: Empowerment and Having Racial Conversations |
Course Information
Interrogate the purpose of education and how empowerment plays a part; Consider racialised trauma and what change is needed for the children and young people in your school. Learn how establishing a dialogic classroom supports meaningful race conversations; Reflect on the dangers of pop-up conversations.
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2 November 2021 4.30-5.30/6.00pm |
Book Soon |
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Session 5: Decolonisation of the Curriculum |
Course Information
Consider the breadth of what decolonising the curriculum means; Understand the impact of omission; representation both implicit and explicit; the power of narratives and collective hagiography.
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30 November 2021 4.00-5.00/5.30pm |
Book Soon |
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Session 6: Human Resources |
Course Information
Dig into the national picture across sectors and the trend with your school; Question the journey of a pupil of colour in education and explore the changes that can be made for recruitment.
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7 December 2021 4.00-5.00/5.30pm |
Book Soon |
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Session 7: What Comes Next |
Course Information
Review the practical reflection/action plan that has been part of every session to formalise an action plan; Hear from school leaders who have taken the journey to lead an anti-racist school and plan the support required utilising the Professional Learning Network from this program.
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14 December 2021 4.00-5.00/5.30pm |
Book Soon |
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Racial Equity Conference and Project Supervision
We will be working with Dr Muna Abdi (MA Education Consultancy) and Dr Ben Blaisdell (East Carolina University) to deliver a virtual conference about ‘Implicit Bias and Racial Awareness’ in January 2021. As outlined in the programme below, this training will be followed by a series of six group supervision sessions for school leaders so that projects that schools determine following the conference can be supported through the remainder of the school year.
Date |
Session |
Details |
  |
14 March 2022
1.00-4.00pm |
Implicit Bias and Racial Awareness training (Part 1) |
- Learning the language/develop literacy (defining terms)
- Stereotypes/ discrimination/prejudice/ race & racism
- Links between race, racism and Whiteness
- Develop tools/lens for analysis (CRT and Intersectionality?)
- Understanding personal, relational and systemic racism
|
Book Soon |
16 March 2022
1.00-4.00pm |
Implicit Bias and Racial Awareness training (Part 2) |
- Co-create a model for equity coaching
- Context specific working - finding out what would be most useful to colleagues and developing a model that has key areas of focus that include (evidence, reflection, challenge, change and evaluation- as a loop).
|
Book Soon |
Date |
Session |
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26 April 2022
4.00-5.30pm |
Supervision Session 1 |
Book Soon |
10 May 2022
4.00-5.30pm |
Supervision Session 2 |
Book Soon |
24 May 2022
4.00-5.30pm |
Supervision Session 3 |
Book Soon |
14 June 2022
4.00-5.30pm |
Supervision Session 4 |
Book Soon |
28 June 2022
4.00-5.30pm |
Supervision Session 5 |
Book Soon |
12 July 2022
4.00-5.30pm |
Supervision Session 6 |
Book Soon |
Anti-Racism Education Training
Date |
Session |
Details |
  |
4 July 2022
3.45-5.00pm |
Anti-Racism Education Virtual Launch session 1 |
In this session, we will introduce you to the core principles of anti-racism education.
We will also guide you through our FREE teaching resources, giving you
time to engage with some of the student activities. You will have the
opportunity to ask questions about the material, and what to do if
difficult questions arise. We will discuss the challenges we can face when
talking about race and racism, and help you consider how to facilitate
discussions sensitively and impactfully in the classroom.
|
Book Soon |
13 March 2022
3.45-5.00pm |
Anti-Racism Education Virtual Launch session 2 |
Please note This is a repeat of the session on 4 July 2022
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Book Soon |
Windrush 2024
Windrush 2024 Learning Resources Pack
Windrush Education Pack
Windrush Pioneers and Champions
Black History Month
The Sheffield African Heritage Culture Forum have curated learning resources to support Black History Month in 2022 and 2023.
Black History Learning Resources Pack (2023 edition)
Black History Learning Resources Pack (2022 edition)
GRT Resources
GTRSB School Pledge - Roma and QKA school Film
GTRSB Overview Pledge Film
GTRSB Pldege Info Sheet
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month Resource Pack
‘Black History Month and Beyond’ Secondary/FE Resources
Learn Sheffield have been working with our colleagues at Opus to make some of the content that they have developed during Black History Month available to Sheffield schools and academies. The content below is available across the Opus platforms (online and via Now Then magazine) but also here to make it easily available to schools and colleges.
Now Then Video Content
Black History Month for White Teachers and Dummies Trailer:
Melissa Simmonds is the founder of MisTÂûght and a parent who believes that Black (British) History benefits all children and should be woven through the curriculum from Key Stages 1-4.
Black History Month for White Teachers and Dummies Full Workshop
Melissa Simmonds is the founder of MisTÂûght and a parent who believes that Black (British) History benefits all children and should be woven through the curriculum from Key Stages 1-4.
Black History Month and Hip Hop Culture with Otis Mensah
As we celebrate Black History Month, Otis Mensah reads Ode to Black Thought from his debut poetry collection Safe Metamorphosis & reflects on what hip hop culture means to him.
Black History Month: Sabrina Richmond on Steve Bilko
Storyteller Sabrina Richmond talks about the erasure of the presence of Black people throughout history & what Black history means to her.
Now Then Article Content
Contributing to Black History Month as a White Man
White people engaging with Black History Month is always going to be uncomfortable. But sitting with this discomfort, and using our privilege for good, is how we start to dismantle racism at a systemic level, all year round.
On structural racism, the TV industry and White Allyship
In a year that has highlighted vast structural inequalities, Annalisa Toccara speaks to David Olusoga about his MacTaggart Lecture, what white allyship means, and how society can address racial disparities, ahead of David’s appearance at Off The Shelf Festival of Words.
On Black
Local artist speaks about creativity, mental health, the Black Lives Matter movement, and her upcoming exhibition at Abbeydale Picture House.
I Am Not Your Baby Mother
This must-read unpacks life as a black mother in modern-day Britain.
Writing From The Richest Of Places
Desiree Reynolds has curated the Black Women Write Now strand of this year’s Off The Shelf Festival of Words, which captures the essence of Toni Morrison’s proclamation that being a black woman writer is not a shallow place, but a rich place to write from.
"Never let anyone tell you to stay in your lane"
The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have significantly impacted the Northern arts and cultural industry, with some organisations closing their doors. Annalisa Toccara spoke to Lauren Yvonne about the challenges of being a theatre producer during this time and the advice she would give to emerging black theatre practitioners.
Coloniality in the NHS – A Call for Change
This year has highlighted both the importance of the NHS and our society’s deep structural racism. The NHS is itself not immune to racism, which stems from Britain’s colonial past.
R.I.P. ‘Tradition’
Looking back over Magid Magid’s time as Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Isabelle France asks: What happens when an entire city steps outside of its comfort zone? Pretty much what you would expect: conflict, outrage - and a little bit of hope.
Tackling Racism Across the Leadership Pipeline
Online event brings people together to discuss the impacts of systemic racism in Sheffield and find solutions for collectively disrupting the system.
The Library of Life
Sheffield-based online library lending service celebrates the rich and diverse cultures of Africa and the Caribbean.
Racial Equity Programme 2020-21
Racial Equity Conference & Project Supervision
We will be working with Dr Muna Abdi (MA Education Consultancy) and Dr Ben Blaisdell (East Carolina University) to deliver a virtual conference about ‘Implicit Bias and Racial Awareness’ in March 2022. As outlined in the programme below, this training will be followed by a series of six group supervision sessions for school leaders so that projects that schools determine following the conference can be supported through the remainder of the school year.
Session |
Details |
Date & Time |
|
Implicit Bias and Racial Awareness training – Part one |
Part 1
- Learning the language/develop literacy (defining terms)
- Stereotypes/ discrimination/prejudice/ race &racism
- Links between race, racism and Whiteness
- Develop tools/lens for analysis (CRT and Intersectionality?)
- Understanding personal, relational and systemic racism
|
26 January 2021 1.00-4.00pm |
Book Now |
Implicit Bias and Racial Awareness training – Part two |
Part 2
- Co-create a model for equity coaching
- Context specific working - finding out what would be most useful to colleagues and developing a model that has key areas of focus that include (evidence, reflection, challenge, change and evaluation- as a loop).
|
28 January 2021 1.00-4.00pm |
Book Now |
Session |
Date & Time |
|
Supervision Session 1 |
2 February 2021 4.00-5.30pm |
Book Now |
Supervision Session 2 |
2 March 2021 4.00-5.30pm |
Book Now |
Supervision Session 3 |
30 March 2021 4.00-5.30pm |
Book Now |
Supervision Session 4 |
4 May 2021 4.00-5.30pm |
Book Now |
Supervision Session 5 |
1 June 2021 4.00-5.30pm |
Book Now |
Supervision Session 6 |
6 July December 2021 4.00-5.30pm |
Book Now |
Racial Equity – Equity Coaching Research Project
We will also be working with Muna and Ben to explore the impact of equity coaching sessions for school leaders as part of a research project with three schools across the school year. The Sheffield Inclusion Centre (a pupil referral unit), Chaucer (a secondary academy) and Woodthorpe (a community primary school) will receive equity coaching, support to frame leadership to have a clear social justice focus and take part in an action research project.
This research project will contribute to the development of future city strategy.
Learn Sheffield Primary Curriculum Development
Learn Sheffield is recruiting a primary curriculum team for the first time this year. This will be a group of Sheffield school leaders who work with the wider Learn Sheffield team in order to support Sheffield schools and academies in the primary sector to develop their curriculum offer.
Racial equity will be one of the initial priorities of this curriculum team. They will work with specialists, including some of the colleagues involved in other aspects of the racial equity programme, to identify and develop curriculum resources for use in Sheffield primary schools and academies. The Black History Month resources below will also be available to the curriculum team to utilise.
Other Opportunities
Spring Leader Roundtable
The focus of our spring term leader roundtable will also be racial equity – with a session entitled ‘What is an anti-racist school?’.
We will be joined by Pran Patel author of the Decolonise the Curriculum website who will provide a keynote and contribute to the discussion.
Pran will also be working with the curriculum team (below) to support their development of curriculum resources.
Sheffield Associate Research School
The Sheffield Associate Research School (based at Notre Dame with Hallam TSA) will also be following up its highly successful lockdown twilight ‘How to be anti-racist educators’ led by Katie Bayley. Look out for events in the Opportunities Bulletin and via social media.